diff --git a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/examples/http_service.rs b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/examples/http_service.rs
index 5c7d76f29bf..d7dc5bf4480 100644
--- a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/examples/http_service.rs
+++ b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/examples/http_service.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,47 @@ static HTTP_ACTIVE_CONNECTIONS_BY_REGION: LazyGauge = lazy_gauge!(
         "region" => "us-east-1",
 );
 
+// ─── Custom system prefix ───
+//
+// Override the default system prefix ("quickwit") with a custom value.
+// This produces metric names like "myapp_db_queries_total" instead of
+// "quickwit_db_queries_total".
+
+static DB_QUERIES_TOTAL: LazyCounter = lazy_counter!(
+        name: "queries_total",
+        description: "Total number of database queries",
+        system: "myapp",
+        subsystem: "db",
+);
+
+static DB_QUERY_DURATION: LazyHistogram = lazy_histogram!(
+        name: "query_duration_seconds",
+        description: "Time spent executing database queries",
+        system: "myapp",
+        subsystem: "db",
+        buckets: vec![0.001, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0],
+);
+
+static DB_CONNECTIONS: LazyGauge = lazy_gauge!(
+        name: "connections",
+        description: "Number of active database connections",
+        system: "myapp",
+        subsystem: "db",
+);
+
+// ─── Custom separator ───
+//
+// Override the default "_" separator with ".".
+// This produces metric names like "myapp.http.requests_total".
+
+static HTTP_REQUESTS_DOTTED: LazyCounter = lazy_counter!(
+        name: "requests_total",
+        description: "Total HTTP requests with dotted metric name",
+        system: "myapp",
+        subsystem: "http",
+        separator: ".",
+);
+
 // ─── LabelNames<N> examples ───
 
 const ROUTE_LABEL_NAMES: LabelNames<2> = label_names!("method", "path");
@@ -183,6 +224,23 @@ fn main() {
     println!("  set quickwit_http_requests_total absolute = 1,000,000");
     println!();
 
+    println!("=== Custom system prefix ===");
+    DB_QUERIES_TOTAL.inc();
+    println!("  myapp_db_queries_total = {}", DB_QUERIES_TOTAL.get());
+    DB_QUERY_DURATION.observe(0.042);
+    println!("  myapp_db_query_duration_seconds observed 0.042");
+    DB_CONNECTIONS.set(5.0);
+    println!("  myapp_db_connections = {}", DB_CONNECTIONS.get());
+    println!();
+
+    println!("=== Custom separator ===");
+    HTTP_REQUESTS_DOTTED.inc_by(3);
+    println!(
+        "  myapp.http.requests_total = {}",
+        HTTP_REQUESTS_DOTTED.get()
+    );
+    println!();
+
     println!("Prometheus scrape endpoint: http://127.0.0.1:9000/metrics");
     println!("Press Ctrl+C to stop.");
     std::thread::park();
diff --git a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/counter.rs b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/counter.rs
index bb241fa8c78..afe02e337e3 100644
--- a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/counter.rs
+++ b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/counter.rs
@@ -260,18 +260,22 @@ impl CounterFn for Counter {
 /// ```
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! counter {
-    // Base declaration: all-static name, labels, and key — zero allocations.
+    // Base declaration with explicit separator, system, and subsystem prefix - zero allocations.
     (
         name: $name:literal,
         description: $description:literal,
-        subsystem: $subsystem:tt
+        system: $system:expr,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr,
+        separator: $separator:expr
         $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
     ) => {{
         $crate::__key_info_metadata!(
             kind: $crate::MetricKind::Counter,
             name: $name,
             description: $description,
-            subsystem: $subsystem
+            system: $system,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            separator: $separator
             $(, $label => $value)*
         );
         $crate::__metric_declaration!(
@@ -282,6 +286,58 @@ macro_rules! counter {
         )
     }};
 
+    // Base declaration with explicit system and subsystem prefix - zero allocations.
+    (
+        name: $name:literal,
+        description: $description:literal,
+        system: $system:expr,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr
+        $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
+    ) => {{
+        $crate::counter!(
+            name: $name,
+            description: $description,
+            system: $system,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            separator: $crate::SEPARATOR
+            $(, $label => $value)*
+        )
+    }};
+
+    // Base declaration with subsystem only — system defaults to SYSTEM.
+    (
+        name: $name:literal,
+        description: $description:literal,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr,
+        separator: $separator:expr
+        $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
+    ) => {{
+        $crate::counter!(
+            name: $name,
+            description: $description,
+            system: $crate::SYSTEM,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            separator: $separator
+            $(, $label => $value)*
+        )
+    }};
+
+    // Base declaration with subsystem only — system defaults to SYSTEM.
+    (
+        name: $name:literal,
+        description: $description:literal,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr
+        $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
+    ) => {{
+        $crate::counter!(
+            name: $name,
+            description: $description,
+            system: $crate::SYSTEM,
+            subsystem: $subsystem
+            $(, $label => $value)*
+        )
+    }};
+
     // Parent extension with inline dynamic labels.
     // Derives a child counter by inheriting the parent's name and labels,
     // appending new (possibly dynamic) key => value pairs.
diff --git a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/gauge.rs b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/gauge.rs
index bf98d1ca4df..127bdda9995 100644
--- a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/gauge.rs
+++ b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/gauge.rs
@@ -331,18 +331,22 @@ impl Drop for GaugeGuard {
 /// ```
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! gauge {
-    // Base declaration: all-static name, labels, and key — zero allocations.
+    // Base declaration with explicit separator, system, and subsystem prefix - zero allocations.
     (
         name: $name:literal,
         description: $description:literal,
-        subsystem: $subsystem:tt
+        system: $system:expr,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr,
+        separator: $separator:expr
         $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
     ) => {{
         $crate::__key_info_metadata!(
             kind: $crate::MetricKind::Gauge,
             name: $name,
             description: $description,
-            subsystem: $subsystem
+            system: $system,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            separator: $separator
             $(, $label => $value)*
         );
         $crate::__metric_declaration!(
@@ -353,6 +357,58 @@ macro_rules! gauge {
         )
     }};
 
+    // Base declaration with explicit system and subsystem prefix - zero allocations.
+    (
+        name: $name:literal,
+        description: $description:literal,
+        system: $system:expr,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr
+        $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
+    ) => {{
+        $crate::gauge!(
+            name: $name,
+            description: $description,
+            system: $system,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            separator: $crate::SEPARATOR
+            $(, $label => $value)*
+        )
+    }};
+
+    // Base declaration with subsystem only — system defaults to SYSTEM.
+    (
+        name: $name:literal,
+        description: $description:literal,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr,
+        separator: $separator:expr
+        $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
+    ) => {{
+        $crate::gauge!(
+            name: $name,
+            description: $description,
+            system: $crate::SYSTEM,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            separator: $separator
+            $(, $label => $value)*
+        )
+    }};
+
+    // Base declaration with subsystem only — system defaults to SYSTEM.
+    (
+        name: $name:literal,
+        description: $description:literal,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr
+        $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
+    ) => {{
+        $crate::gauge!(
+            name: $name,
+            description: $description,
+            system: $crate::SYSTEM,
+            subsystem: $subsystem
+            $(, $label => $value)*
+        )
+    }};
+
     // Parent extension with inline dynamic labels.
     // Derives a child gauge by inheriting the parent's name and labels,
     // appending new (possibly dynamic) key => value pairs.
diff --git a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/histogram.rs b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/histogram.rs
index 95ab8380d1f..a3b2bad6757 100644
--- a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/histogram.rs
+++ b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/histogram.rs
@@ -261,30 +261,30 @@ impl Drop for HistogramTimer {
 /// ```
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! histogram {
-    // Base declaration: all-static name, labels, and key — zero allocations.
+    // Base declaration with explicit separator, system, and subsystem prefix - zero allocations.
     (
         name: $name:literal,
         description: $description:literal,
-        subsystem: $subsystem:tt,
+        system: $system:expr,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr,
+        separator: $separator:expr,
         buckets: $buckets:expr
         $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
     ) => {{
-        // Expand compile-time statics: KEY_NAME, INFO, KEY, LABELS, METADATA.
         $crate::__key_info_metadata!(
             kind: $crate::MetricKind::Histogram,
             name: $name,
             description: $description,
-            subsystem: $subsystem
+            system: $system,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            separator: $separator
             $(, $label => $value)*
         );
-        // Link histogram bucket configuration to the metric info and register it
-        // with the inventory so the recorder can configure bucket boundaries.
         static HISTOGRAM_CONFIG: $crate::HistogramConfig = $crate::HistogramConfig {
             info: &INFO,
             buckets_fn: || $buckets,
         };
         $crate::__inventory::submit!(HISTOGRAM_CONFIG);
-        // Thread-local cache + global DashMap registration.
         $crate::__metric_declaration!(
             metric_type: $crate::Histogram,
             register_fn: $crate::__histogram_get_or_register,
@@ -293,6 +293,64 @@ macro_rules! histogram {
         )
     }};
 
+    // Base declaration with explicit system and subsystem prefix - zero allocations.
+    (
+        name: $name:literal,
+        description: $description:literal,
+        system: $system:expr,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr,
+        buckets: $buckets:expr
+        $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
+    ) => {{
+        $crate::histogram!(
+            name: $name,
+            description: $description,
+            system: $system,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            separator: $crate::SEPARATOR,
+            buckets: $buckets
+            $(, $label => $value)*
+        )
+    }};
+
+    // Base declaration with subsystem only — system defaults to SYSTEM.
+    (
+        name: $name:literal,
+        description: $description:literal,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr,
+        separator: $separator:expr,
+        buckets: $buckets:expr
+        $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
+    ) => {{
+        $crate::histogram!(
+            name: $name,
+            description: $description,
+            system: $crate::SYSTEM,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            separator: $separator,
+            buckets: $buckets
+            $(, $label => $value)*
+        )
+    }};
+
+    // Base declaration with subsystem only — system defaults to SYSTEM.
+    (
+        name: $name:literal,
+        description: $description:literal,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:expr,
+        buckets: $buckets:expr
+        $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
+    ) => {{
+        $crate::histogram!(
+            name: $name,
+            description: $description,
+            system: $crate::SYSTEM,
+            subsystem: $subsystem,
+            buckets: $buckets
+            $(, $label => $value)*
+        )
+    }};
+
     // Parent extension with inline dynamic labels.
     // Derives a child histogram by inheriting the parent's name and labels,
     // appending new (possibly dynamic) key => value pairs.
diff --git a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/inner.rs b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/inner.rs
index 6a218297dc5..69f0858a971 100644
--- a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/inner.rs
+++ b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/inner.rs
@@ -24,20 +24,7 @@ use std::hash::{Hash, Hasher};
 pub use const_format::concatcp as __concatcp;
 use rustc_hash::FxHasher;
 
-// ─── Helper macros ───
-
-/// Builds the fully-qualified metric key name at compile time:
-/// `"{SYSTEM}_{name}"` or `"{SYSTEM}_{subsystem}_{name}"`.
-#[doc(hidden)]
-#[macro_export]
-macro_rules! __key_name {
-    ("", $name:literal) => {
-        $crate::__concatcp!($crate::SYSTEM, "_", $name)
-    };
-    ($subsystem:literal, $name:literal) => {
-        $crate::__concatcp!($crate::SYSTEM, "_", $subsystem, "_", $name)
-    };
-}
+// ─── Helper functions ───
 
 /// Counts the number of token-tree arguments at compile time.
 #[doc(hidden)]
@@ -65,6 +52,15 @@ macro_rules! __metadata {
     };
 }
 
+/// Returns `separator` for non-empty strings, `""` for empty ones.
+///
+/// Used inside `concatcp!` to conditionally insert separators when
+/// composing metric key names at compile time.
+#[doc(hidden)]
+pub const fn __sep<'a>(s: &'a str, separator: &'a str) -> &'a str {
+    if s.is_empty() { "" } else { separator }
+}
+
 /// Declares the compile-time statics that every metric declaration arm needs:
 /// `KEY_NAME`, `INFO`, `KEY`, `LABELS`, and `METADATA`.
 /// Also registers `INFO` with the `inventory` crate for runtime discovery.
@@ -75,10 +71,16 @@ macro_rules! __key_info_metadata {
         kind: $kind:expr,
         name: $name:literal,
         description: $description:literal,
-        subsystem: $subsystem:tt
+        system: $system:expr,
+        subsystem: $subsystem:tt,
+        separator: $separator:expr
         $(, $label:literal => $value:literal)* $(,)?
     ) => {
-        const KEY_NAME: &str = $crate::__key_name!($subsystem, $name);
+        const KEY_NAME: &str = $crate::__concatcp!(
+            $system, $crate::__sep($system, $separator),
+            $subsystem, $crate::__sep($subsystem, $separator),
+            $name
+        );
         static METADATA: $crate::__metrics::Metadata<'static> = $crate::__metadata!($subsystem);
         static INFO: $crate::MetricInfo = $crate::MetricInfo {
             key_name: KEY_NAME,
diff --git a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/lib.rs b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/lib.rs
index e7bbe4235bd..bf1992ef2fd 100644
--- a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/lib.rs
+++ b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/src/lib.rs
@@ -264,10 +264,9 @@
 /// System-level prefix prepended to every metric name.
 ///
 /// Every metric declared via [`counter!`], [`gauge!`], or [`histogram!`]
-/// has its name composed at compile time as `{SYSTEM}_{subsystem}_{name}`.
-///
-/// Hardcoded for now — making this configurable is tracked separately.
+/// has its name composed at compile time as `{system}_{subsystem}_{name}`.
 pub const SYSTEM: &str = "quickwit";
+pub const SEPARATOR: &str = "_";
 
 // ─── Metric modules ───
 mod counter;
@@ -289,7 +288,7 @@ pub use gauge::__gauge_get_or_register;
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub use histogram::__histogram_get_or_register;
 #[doc(hidden)]
-pub use inner::{__concatcp, __key_hash};
+pub use inner::{__concatcp, __key_hash, __sep};
 
 // Re-exports of `metrics` and `inventory` used inside macro expansions.
 #[doc(hidden)]
diff --git a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/counter.rs b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/counter.rs
index 91dc4f92d88..7f2d82903d0 100644
--- a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/counter.rs
+++ b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/counter.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ mod common;
 use common::with_recorder;
 use metrics::with_local_recorder;
 use metrics_util::debugging::{DebugValue, DebuggingRecorder};
-use quickwit_metrics::{Counter, counter, label_names, label_values, labels};
+use quickwit_metrics::{Counter, SYSTEM, counter, label_names, label_values, labels};
 
 #[test]
 fn base_increments() {
@@ -346,3 +346,148 @@ fn local_counter_clone_is_equal() {
     a.inc();
     assert_eq!(b.get(), 1);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn custom_system_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let c = counter!(
+            name: "requests_total",
+            description: "total requests",
+            system: "myapp",
+            subsystem: "http",
+        );
+        c.inc();
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "myapp_http_requests_total");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Counter(1));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_system_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let c = counter!(
+            name: "requests_total",
+            description: "total requests",
+            subsystem: "http",
+        );
+        c.inc();
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, &format!("{SYSTEM}_http_requests_total"));
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Counter(1));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_system_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let c = counter!(
+            name: "requests_total",
+            description: "total requests",
+            system: "",
+            subsystem: "http",
+        );
+        c.inc();
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "http_requests_total");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Counter(1));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_subsystem_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let c = counter!(
+            name: "requests_total",
+            description: "total requests",
+            system: "myapp",
+            subsystem: "",
+        );
+        c.inc();
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "myapp_requests_total");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Counter(1));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_system_and_subsystem_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let c = counter!(
+            name: "requests_total",
+            description: "total requests",
+            system: "",
+            subsystem: "",
+        );
+        c.inc();
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "requests_total");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Counter(1));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn const_system_key_name() {
+    const MY_SYSTEM: &str = "custom";
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let c = counter!(
+            name: "ops_total",
+            description: "total ops",
+            system: MY_SYSTEM,
+            subsystem: "db",
+        );
+        c.inc();
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "custom_db_ops_total");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Counter(1));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn custom_separator_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let c = counter!(
+            name: "requests_total",
+            description: "total requests",
+            system: "myapp",
+            subsystem: "http",
+            separator: ".",
+        );
+        c.inc();
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "myapp.http.requests_total");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Counter(1));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_system_custom_separator_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let c = counter!(
+            name: "requests_total",
+            description: "total requests",
+            subsystem: "http",
+            separator: ".",
+        );
+        c.inc();
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "quickwit.http.requests_total");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Counter(1));
+}
diff --git a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/gauge.rs b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/gauge.rs
index 3d49ab50f97..c7ec5e34f4f 100644
--- a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/gauge.rs
+++ b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/gauge.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ mod common;
 use common::with_recorder;
 use metrics::with_local_recorder;
 use metrics_util::debugging::{DebugValue, DebuggingRecorder};
-use quickwit_metrics::{Gauge, GaugeGuard, gauge, label_names, label_values, labels};
+use quickwit_metrics::{Gauge, GaugeGuard, SYSTEM, gauge, label_names, label_values, labels};
 
 #[test]
 fn set() {
@@ -348,3 +348,148 @@ fn local_gauge_clone_is_equal() {
     a.set(7.0);
     assert_eq!(b.get(), 7.0);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn custom_system_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let g = gauge!(
+            name: "connections",
+            description: "active connections",
+            system: "myapp",
+            subsystem: "db",
+        );
+        g.set(5.0);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "myapp_db_connections");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Gauge(5.0.into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_system_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let g = gauge!(
+            name: "connections",
+            description: "active connections",
+            subsystem: "db",
+        );
+        g.set(1.0);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, &format!("{SYSTEM}_db_connections"));
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Gauge(1.0.into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_system_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let g = gauge!(
+            name: "connections",
+            description: "active connections",
+            system: "",
+            subsystem: "db",
+        );
+        g.set(1.0);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "db_connections");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Gauge(1.0.into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_subsystem_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let g = gauge!(
+            name: "connections",
+            description: "active connections",
+            system: "myapp",
+            subsystem: "",
+        );
+        g.set(1.0);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "myapp_connections");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Gauge(1.0.into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_system_and_subsystem_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let g = gauge!(
+            name: "connections",
+            description: "active connections",
+            system: "",
+            subsystem: "",
+        );
+        g.set(1.0);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "connections");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Gauge(1.0.into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn const_system_key_name() {
+    const MY_SYSTEM: &str = "custom";
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let g = gauge!(
+            name: "pool_size",
+            description: "pool size",
+            system: MY_SYSTEM,
+            subsystem: "db",
+        );
+        g.set(8.0);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "custom_db_pool_size");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Gauge(8.0.into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn custom_separator_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let g = gauge!(
+            name: "connections",
+            description: "active connections",
+            system: "myapp",
+            subsystem: "db",
+            separator: ".",
+        );
+        g.set(5.0);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "myapp.db.connections");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Gauge(5.0.into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_system_custom_separator_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let g = gauge!(
+            name: "connections",
+            description: "active connections",
+            subsystem: "db",
+            separator: ".",
+        );
+        g.set(5.0);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "quickwit.db.connections");
+    assert_eq!(*value, DebugValue::Gauge(5.0.into()));
+}
diff --git a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/histogram.rs b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/histogram.rs
index 42a906d5a67..94c2230d09e 100644
--- a/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/histogram.rs
+++ b/quickwit/quickwit-metrics/tests/histogram.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ mod common;
 use common::with_recorder;
 use metrics::with_local_recorder;
 use metrics_util::debugging::{DebugValue, DebuggingRecorder};
-use quickwit_metrics::{HistogramTimer, histogram, label_names, label_values, labels};
+use quickwit_metrics::{HistogramTimer, SYSTEM, histogram, label_names, label_values, labels};
 
 #[test]
 fn base_records_value() {
@@ -234,3 +234,156 @@ fn timer_observe_duration_records_once() {
         other => panic!("expected Histogram, got {other:?}"),
     }
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn custom_system_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let h = histogram!(
+            name: "duration_seconds",
+            description: "request duration",
+            system: "myapp",
+            subsystem: "http",
+            buckets: vec![0.01, 0.1, 1.0]
+        );
+        h.observe(0.05);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "myapp_http_duration_seconds");
+    assert_eq!(value, &DebugValue::Histogram(vec![0.05.into()]));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_system_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let h = histogram!(
+            name: "duration_seconds",
+            description: "request duration",
+            subsystem: "http",
+            buckets: vec![0.01, 0.1, 1.0]
+        );
+        h.observe(0.05);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, &format!("{SYSTEM}_http_duration_seconds"));
+    assert_eq!(value, &DebugValue::Histogram(vec![0.05.into()]));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_system_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let h = histogram!(
+            name: "duration_seconds",
+            description: "request duration",
+            system: "",
+            subsystem: "http",
+            buckets: vec![0.01, 0.1, 1.0]
+        );
+        h.observe(0.05);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "http_duration_seconds");
+    assert_eq!(value, &DebugValue::Histogram(vec![0.05.into()]));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_subsystem_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let h = histogram!(
+            name: "duration_seconds",
+            description: "request duration",
+            system: "myapp",
+            subsystem: "",
+            buckets: vec![0.01, 0.1, 1.0]
+        );
+        h.observe(0.05);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "myapp_duration_seconds");
+    assert_eq!(value, &DebugValue::Histogram(vec![0.05.into()]));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn empty_system_and_subsystem_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let h = histogram!(
+            name: "duration_seconds",
+            description: "request duration",
+            system: "",
+            subsystem: "",
+            buckets: vec![0.01, 0.1, 1.0]
+        );
+        h.observe(0.05);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "duration_seconds");
+    assert_eq!(value, &DebugValue::Histogram(vec![0.05.into()]));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn const_system_key_name() {
+    const MY_SYSTEM: &str = "custom";
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let h = histogram!(
+            name: "latency_ms",
+            description: "latency",
+            system: MY_SYSTEM,
+            subsystem: "rpc",
+            buckets: vec![1.0, 10.0, 100.0]
+        );
+        h.observe(5.0);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "custom_rpc_latency_ms");
+    assert_eq!(value, &DebugValue::Histogram(vec![5.0.into()]));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn custom_separator_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let h = histogram!(
+            name: "duration_seconds",
+            description: "request duration",
+            system: "myapp",
+            subsystem: "http",
+            separator: ".",
+            buckets: vec![0.01, 0.1, 1.0]
+        );
+        h.observe(0.05);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "myapp.http.duration_seconds");
+    assert_eq!(value, &DebugValue::Histogram(vec![0.05.into()]));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_system_custom_separator_key_name() {
+    let entries = with_recorder(|| {
+        let h = histogram!(
+            name: "duration_seconds",
+            description: "request duration",
+            subsystem: "http",
+            separator: ".",
+            buckets: vec![0.01, 0.1, 1.0]
+        );
+        h.observe(0.05);
+    });
+
+    assert_eq!(entries.len(), 1);
+    let (name, _, value) = &entries[0];
+    assert_eq!(name, "quickwit.http.duration_seconds");
+    assert_eq!(value, &DebugValue::Histogram(vec![0.05.into()]));
+}